Sparta's Scott Root scores Pro Stock win at Berlin

MARNE -- Scott Root of Sparta has been spending most of his weekends fishing this summer, and he was quick to point out that that is not all bad.

However, Root said a day out on the lake can't compare to a trip to Victory Lane at the Berlin Raceway.

Root, making just his second Berlin start of the season, dominated Saturday night's 25-lap Pro Stock feature race, beating out Ken Smith Jr. by 1.890 seconds.

Root, who has been one of the division's top racers in recent years, said lack of sponsorship has kept him from competing more this season, but he demonstrated Saturday that he is still a force when he does run.

"It has just been money," said Root, who grabbed the lead from Smith on the opening lap and led the rest of the way. "Sponsors haven't been able to come through like they have been. I am still working on some things for next year, and hopefully, we will be able to get something going for then.

"I have been doing a lot of fishing. But I miss (racing), and it's hard to stay away. The days like we had tonight is the reason why. We haven't changed anything on the car from last year, and it was real good at the end of the season last year."

Blonde, the two-time defending series champion, took the lead from Troy Decaire with two laps to go and went on to claim his first victory of the season. Decaire led the first 27 laps of the 30-lap main before Blonde ran him down. The two cleared lapped traffic with five laps to go, and Blonde went to work on the high side before diving underneath Decaire for the lead.

"I got beside him on the top side," Blonde said. "I went side-by-side with him for two laps, and I couldn't get by him. So, I thought if I dove under him real fast I would be able to get him. I was surprised I got him. I thought he was going to be too tough to get."

The Super Sprints will now have the next two weekends off before returning to Berlin for its Sept. 26 season finale.

Blonde will enter the finale in a three-way battle for the title with Chad Goff and Jeff Bloom. Official points will be released Tuesday.

Anderson of Walker has won over 100 feature races in a career that spans 33 years, but he said winning never gets old. Anderson drove around Nick Bonstell for the lead on lap 12 and went on to beat out Andrew Nylaan by 0.450 seconds in the 35-lapper for his second victory of the season. Bonstell took third, followed by Bob Bliss.

"It felt like a 100-lapper, yellow, yellow, yellow. We didn't need those yellows," Anderson said of the six caution flags.

"The car started out tight, and it basically came to me. The car was good. "(Winning) never gets old. Never. They are like a sack of gold. They are sweet. They are awesome."